Signs to aid flyers glide through customs

Mumbai: Eye-catching signboards explaining customs rules will soon welcome all international passengers at Mumbai airport.
Due to the increase in the number of duty evasion cases, the customs has decided to apprise passengers about the rules on the limit of goods and currency to be imported or carried in the luggage. The authorities are studying ways in which other countries inform international air travellers about customs regulations. The passenger-friendly signboards will be installed within two weeks.
Though most cases registered with the customs pertain to smuggling, there are other instances where the passenger's intent is not to smuggle goods and valuables into the country. "Some of them are genuinely unintentional.
In some cases, passengers do not declare goods in order to avoid small duty on personal goods," a customs official said. "In either case, if the rules are explained lucidly to passengers, they will promptly pay the duty without any excuse," he added. Though the signboards announcing customs rules, they are not within easy eye-shot for passengers.
26/12/11 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: airports Dec 2011